Preface
There are good employees, and then there are great ones. Commercial real estate "A" players are candidates with exceptional experience, talent, knowledge, and work ethic. They help companies close more deals, invest more effectively, and execute more efficiently.
Finding good talent is not easy, though, and finding "A" players is outright challenging.
In this playbook we share insights and expertise we've gained sourcing and placing CRE experts across investment, development, brokerage, and lending — strategic and tactical knowledge to help you organize for your next hiring push, source "A" player candidates, identify top candidates when you see them, and sell them on joining your team.
1. Optimize your business to attract "A" players
Attracting A-players takes more than the right interview questions or job-board keywords. The nuance comes in the answers to:
- What makes "A" players so special?
- What business infrastructure do I need to attract them?
- Why is recruiting without a perfectly-honed job posting a waste of effort?
You have work to do before the candidate sourcing process even begins.
What is an "A" player and why do you need them?
"A" players are employees who are force multipliers in your business. They are far more valuable than low-cost virtual assistants.
The Peter Principle says 20% of effort drives 80% of results — and the top 20% of your staff drive a disproportionate share of success. An "A" player understands the broad vision of the business and architects their daily tasks to push it forward. They are worth considerably more than their salary.
A common mistake young real estate firms make is prioritizing low-cost support over hiring "A" players. A $5/hour virtual assistant adds a little capacity; an "A" player owns major business functions.
Develop a clear job description
If you don't have a crystal-clear job description in hand, you aren't ready to hire. Three things to nail:
- A no-nonsense job description. "A" players spot fluffy, copy-pasted postings instantly. Use short, direct language and clearly explain scope, reporting lines, and who they'll work with.
- Stakeholder alignment. Anyone who will work with the new hire must be in sync on the role. Nothing kills momentum like a candidate noticing that future teammates aren't aligned.
- Responsibilities and metrics. Spell out who they'll report to, what they'll own, and the short- and long-term metrics you'll measure them by — and share those metrics during interviews.
Be clear on benefits and growth
"A" players have options. They expect organizations that recognize their value or they'll find alternate employment. Have benefits and an HR function ready to support them.
- Insurance: Gusto works well early. Once you're past five employees, Rippling or TriNet PEOs efficiently provide insurance and benefits.
- Promotion path, long-term vision, and any deal participation should be lined up before you start interviewing.
- Plan for learning — class allowances, formal mentorship, etc.
A plan for hiring
Before you interview anyone, answer:
- How many contact points do interviewees have?
- How many rounds of interviewing accomplish your screening goals while sending a positive message?
- How long does the actual process take from resume to "yes or no"?
Glassdoor research shows candidates are slightly more likely to accept offers after difficult interviews vs. easy ones — but Greenhouse research shows applications taking over 15 minutes lose 70%+ of applicants. Keep things quick and simple, and never dress up real client work as a "case study."
2. Decide on the hiring approach that fits your business
Where to find high-quality candidates
- Your network. The best source. Ex-coworkers, alumni, trusted partners — referrals shorten the entire process.
- Recruiting firms. The "easy button." Great candidates, but expensive.
- Industry job boards. SelectLeaders and similar remove some of the noise of general boards but still leave you to write the post, screen resumes, and run the process.
- Non-industry job boards. LinkedIn, Indeed, ZipRecruiter — wide reach, lower average quality.
- Freelance networks. UpWork and Fiverr are general marketplaces; Bullpen is a CRE-focused freelance network that curates and handpicks talent for each role.
Should you DIY or use a recruiter?
Five questions to work through:
- What role will the new worker perform?
- What level of expertise do you need? How much time do you have for training?
- What compensation package can you offer?
- Who will they work with — and how would those people answer the questions above?
- How much time and attention do you have? Skilled hires typically take 3–6 months to fill.
Do what you're good at. Outsource the rest.
If talent sourcing isn't your core competency, the time and focus you'll spend writing posts, screening resumes, and running interviews is almost always better redirected into your business.
3. Identify top performers
Resumes should meet a minimum standard of polish but shouldn't be the sole determinant of who gets interviewed. Culture fit matters more than past pedigree. Look for a story of consistent professional growth — and remember the story behind the bullets. Don't rule out career changers; hard skills can be taught, perspective cannot.
Interview questions to ask
Open-ended questions break the wall of impersonality and reveal what motivates and challenges a candidate.
- What role do you play in your social group?
- Where would you say you gained most of your professional skills?
- Tell me about a defining moment in your career.
Technical questions worth asking:
- If your cap rate goes from 8% to 10%, by how much does NOI need to grow or shrink for value to remain the same?
- If you had $100M to invest in real estate, how would you invest it?
- What is the value of a property with $10M NOI at an 8% cap?
How to deliver a quality case study
Case studies are a fundamental part of the interview for technical roles. Our own freelancer case study works like this:
- Email candidates an Excel template of assumptions plus an instructional PDF.
- Require it back within a reasonable timeframe or disregard the result.
- Score on presentation and quantitative outcome — for our financial modeling case, candidates must hit IRR and equity multiple within 10% of our results.
Tailor the case to the role:
- Brokerage Analyst: BOV analysis
- Investor Relations Associate: Equity offering memo
- Graphic Designer: One-page teaser
Never disguise real client work as a case study.
Red flags
- Far off base on multiple technical questions
- Speaks negatively about past colleagues or companies
- Job-hopping with no clear explanation
- References that aren't specific or enthusiastic
- Comments revealing values misaligned with your company
4. Sell your "A" player on joining your firm
Beyond assessing quality, the interview is your chance to learn what your future employee wants out of the job and the team.
Address their career aspirations
"A" players in CRE always have the option to leave and start their own syndication group, fund, or team. Find out what they want, then decide whether you can provide it:
- Stable trajectory or fastest route to running their own deals?
- Increase real estate experience in a team setting, or a fast-paced entrepreneurial role?
- Specifically improve on something they found lacking at their previous firm?
Then structure the role around those goals.
Find out how they want to work
Asking "remote or in-person?" outright invites the answer they think you want. Probe instead:
- Autonomy or a tight-knit team?
- Flexibility or predictability?
- Stimulation or relaxed work?
Offer sufficient compensation
Anchor on credible market benchmarks (the Bullpen comp guides are a good starting point) and adjust from there. If you'll offer deal participation or profit share, plan it carefully before interviewing — don't promise generalities and back out later. Specialized property types, complex financing, or true leadership demands should pull your comp meaningfully above the median.
Want help finding your next "A" player? Book a meeting with the Bullpen team.
